Adidas officials said that it "was 'the wrong decision' to replace a female referee at a company-sponsored basketball tournament in Las Vegas after LaVar Ball complained and threatened to pull his team from the court," according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. Adidas yesterday in a statement said, "The referee substitutions made during our tournament last week are not in line with our company values. It was the wrong decision." Rovell noted the replacement of the female referee did "not sit well with Court Club Elite, the group that provided the officials for the tournament." The group as a result "terminated its deal with the shoe company" (ESPN.com, 7/31).
FINDING A NEW LANE: In Buffalo, Bucky Gleason writes if Adidas has its "priorities in place, it would push aside the bottom line and separate itself" from the Ball family (BUFFALO NEWS, 8/1). Meanwhile, ESPN's Jay Bilas wrote he at one time "enjoyed many of the antics" of Ball. He was simply "taking advantage of the undeniable talents of his children to elevate himself." Bilas: "He was fun to watch. And fun to laugh at. ... But to whatever extent I enjoyed LaVar Ball and his antics at first, I now find him close to intolerable." More Bilas: "I am done with him. I am done listening to him, consuming his nonsense or caring what he has to say. If he apologizes to the women he has insulted and changes his bizarre behavior, I can certainly change my mind." Bilas wrote going forward he will not "participate in the coverage of his prattle and hot air." Bilas: "It is not worthy of our coverage" (ESPN.com, 7/31).
